Active preparation containing plant extracts for cosmetics

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an active ingredient composition used in cosmetic products, said composition containing vegetable extracts and combating in particular free radicals. The active ingredient composition is an alcohol-based mixture of vegetable extracts that is devoid of liposomes, consisting of between 0.1 and 2 wt. % green coffee-bean extract, between 0.1 and 2 wt. %  Camellia sinensis  leaf extract, between 0.1 and 2 wt %  Pongamia pinnata  extract and between 0.1 and 2 wt. %  Angelica archangelica  root extract and a residual content of a monovalent C2-C5 alcohol to obtain the total of 100 wt. %. The free radical protection factor amounts to 1400-2900×10 14  free radicals per mg.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a national stage of PCT/EP2004/005542 filed May 21,2004 and based upon DE 103 25 156.1 filed May 28, 2003 under theInternational Convention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an active preparation for cosmetics, whichcontains plant extracts and has special anti-radical properties.

2. Related Art of the Invention

From WO 99/66881, a cosmetic active preparation with a high radicalprotection factor is known, which contains an extract from the bark ofQuebracho blanco enclosed in microcapsules and a silkworm extract asmain ingredients, which extracts are provided in a gel together withphospholipids and form an association complex in said gel. The aforesaidactive complex can in addition contain further ingredients, e.g. plantextracts. Plant extracts mentioned include, among many others, thoseobtained from coffee beans and angelica root. Said combinations haveradical protection factors ranging between 100 and 10,000, and thecosmetic preparations in which they are used have radical protectionfactors of 40-200, depending on the amount of the active preparationadded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a composition for use incosmetics, which can be easily prepared without using encapsulatingliposomes and which at the same time has a high radical protectionfactor, but can be combined much more easily with other cosmeticingredients and is also suitable for the production of perfumes andsprays.

According to the invention, the active preparation consists of a mixtureof plant extracts with an alcoholic base, which consists of 0.1 to 2% byweight extract from green coffee beans, 0.1 to 2% by weight extract fromthe leaves of Camellia sinensis, 0.1 to 2% by weight extract fromPongamia pinnata and 0.1 to 2% by weight extract from the roots ofAngelica archangelica, a monovalent C₂-C₅ alcohol making up theremainder up to 100% by weight. The extract mixture is free fromliposomes and has a radical protection factor ranging between 1,400 and2,900×10¹⁴ radicals per mg.

The aforesaid extracts are alcoholic or aqueous-alcoholic extracts,preferably alcoholic extracts. The extraction temperatures range between18 and 28° C. The extract from Pongamia pinnata was obtained from thewhole plant.

The extract mixture can make up 0.1 to 10% by weight, preferably 0.1 to5% by weight, of a cosmetic, relative to the cosmetic's total weight. Ithas been found that such an active mixture has an unexpectedly highradical protection factor (RPF) of approx. 1,400-2,900×10¹⁴ radicals permg, determined by measuring the number of free radicals in a solution ofa test substance (S₁) by means of electron spin resonance (ESR) andcomparing it with the ESR measuring result of the cosmetic activepreparation according to the equationRPF=(RC×RF)/PIwherein RF=(S₁−S₂)/S₁; RC=concentration of the test substance(radicals/ml); PI=concentration of the active preparation (mg/ml)(measurement according to WO 99/66881).

The RPF found in this way is considerably higher than that of an activepreparation in WO 99/66881, which is specified to be 1,255.

It has further been found that a cosmetic composition containing theactive preparation according to the invention will have radicalprotection factors of 60 to 140×10¹⁴ radicals per mg if said activepreparation is contained in said cosmetic composition in a preferredconcentration ranging between 0.5 and 2% by weight, which isconsiderably higher than the values of 35 to 49×10¹⁴ specified in theexamples of WO 99/66881.

The active preparation according to the invention can be used in W/O orO/W emulsions, gels or gel emulsions. Its use in perfumes or sprays isparticularly advantageous. The active preparations known from WO99/66881 are always combined with a gel and in addition the activeagents are encapsulated in liposomes, which frequently makes it verydifficult to atomize such formulations; as a consequence, theseformulations with high radical protection factors can hardly be used forsuch applications. In contrast, the alcoholic solution of the activepreparation according to the invention can be prepared more easily sinceno liposomes must be produced, it has high radical protection factorsand it can be incorporated into spray or perfume applications andatomized by the user without problems.

The active preparation according to the invention can also be combinedwith other cosmetic auxiliaries and active agents and processed toobtain forms suitable for application.

Such auxiliaries include water, preservatives, colourants, pigmentshaving a colouring effect, thickeners, fragrances, alcohols, polyols,esters, electrolytes, gel-forming agents, polar and non-polar oils,polymers, copolymers, emulsifiers, stabilizers.

Cosmetic active agents include e.g. inorganic and organic sunscreens,further radical scavengers, moisturizers, vitamins, enzymes, furtherplant-based active agents, polymers, melanin, antioxidants,anti-inflammatory natural active agents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will hereinafter be explained in more detail by means ofexamples. All quantities are in % by weight unless indicated otherwise.

EXAMPLE 1 Moisturizing Skin Balm

Phase A Water q.s. ad 100 Glycerine 2.0 Butylene Glycol 2.0 TetrasodiumEthylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid 0.1 Preservative 0.4 pH adjuster 0.3Phase B Beheneth-25 3.3 Cetearyl Alcohol 2.7 Dicapryl Carbonate 8.5 SheaButter 7.2 Phenoxyethanol 0.9 Modified maize starch powder 3.0Dimethicone 1.4 Simulgel ® NS 3.5 Phase C Colourants 0.1 Water ofvolcanic origin** 1.0 Peptide palmitoyl-gly-his-lys 0.5 Mixture ofalcoholic extracts from plants* 0.2 Crithmum maritimum extract 0.5Hydrolyzed soy protein 1.0 Benzophenone-4 (for colourants) 0.4*Consisting of 0.2% by weight seeds of coffee beans, 0.2% by weightCamelli sinensis leaves, 0.2% by weight Pongamia pinnata, 0.2% by weightangelica root and 99.2% by weight ethanol; RPF 2630 × 10¹⁴ rad/mg.**With the following salt concentrations: 0.01-0.05 mg/l Fe, 100-300mg/l K, 1,000-2,000 mg/l Na, 80-200 mg/l Mg, 50-150 mg/l Ca, 50-150 mg/lSi (as SiO₂), 0.01-0.1 mg/l P, 0.001-0.005 mg/l Se, 0.01-0.03 mg/l Zn.

Phases A and B are mixed separately at approx. 60° C., Phase C is mixedat approx. 35° C., and all three phases are combined with one anotherwhile stirring at approx. 35° C.

The skin balm has an RPF of 68 (×10¹⁴ radicals per mg).

EXAMPLE 2 Perfume

Ethanol q.s. ad 100 Mixture of alcoholic extracts from plants* 9.5Perfume 8 RPF = 137.

EXAMPLE 3 Spray

Ethanol q.s. ad 100 Mixture of alcoholic extracts from plants* 5Propellant gas 38 RPF = 93.

The spray was excellent to handle, showed a very fine dropletdistribution and caused no such problems as comparative sprays in whichplant extracts were encapsulated in liposomes.

1. A cosmetic preparation with plant extracts comprising 0.1 and 10% byweight of an active preparation comprising a liposome-free mixture ofplant extracts with an alcoholic base, which consists of 0.1 to 2% byweight extract from green coffee beans, 0.1 to 2% by weight extract fromthe leaves of Camellia sinensis, 0.1 to 2% by weight extract fromPongamia pinnata and 0.1 to 2% by weight extract from the roots ofAngelica archangelica, and a monovalent C₂-C₅ alcohol making up theremainder up to 100% by weight, wherein the radical protection factorranges between 1,400 and 2,900×10¹⁴ radicals per milligram (mg) andwherein the aforesaid concentrations are relative to the total weight ofthe cosmetic preparation.
 2. The cosmetic preparation according to claim1, wherein said active preparation is a mixture of plant extracts withan alcoholic base, which consists of 0.2% by weight extract from greencoffee beans, 0.2% by weight extract from the leaves of Camelliasinensis, 0.2% by weight extract from Pongamia pinnata and 0.2% byweight extract from the roots of Angelica archangelica and 99.2% byweight ethanol.
 3. The cosmetic preparation according to claim 1,wherein said active preparation is provided in a cosmetic preparation ina concentration ranging between 0.1 and 10% by weight, and the radicalprotection factor of said cosmetic preparation ranges between 60 and140×10¹⁴ radicals per mg.
 4. An active preparation according to claim 1,wherein said active preparation is provided in a spray or a perfume.